Omolabake Fasogbon
Multi-asset investment management firm, CardinalStone, has expanded its empowerment initiative at Aje Comprehensive Senior High School in Yaba, Lagos, equipping no fewer than 100 senior secondary school students with practical artificial intelligence (AI) literacy skills.
The training builds on the investment firm’s multi-year commitment to the school. In 2023, the firm established a solar-powered ICT centre at the institution to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education. Two years later, it partnered with STEM Learning by 9ijakids to introduce hands-on AI training aimed at helping students transition from passive technology users to active digital creators.
This year, the firm focused on mentoring students in creativity, entrepreneurship and workplace readiness.
Although more than 83 per cent of the participating students had no prior coding experience, they were able, at the end of the exercise, to use AI tools to generate code for websites, build simple games and create digital content for media promotions.
“I didn’t know I could create something like this with AI. The project made me realise I can build my own ideas and think differently about what I can do in the future,” remarked one of the participating students, Marvelous Imbisi.
Reiterating the goal of the initiative, CardinalStone’s Chief Operating Officer, Onayimi Aiwerioghene, said it aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 on reducing inequalities, highlighting the urgency of closing the digital divide.
“AI is transforming the world of work, and without deliberate intervention, the gap between young people who have access to these skills and those who do not will continue to widen.
“Through this initiative, we are helping to bridge that gap by creating opportunities for children in underserved communities to develop skills that will prepare them for the future,” he said.
Also commenting, the Head of STEM Learning, Fisayo Oludipe, added that the designed curriculum aimed to spark curiosity and practical problem-solving among the teenagers.
“We want children to see AI as something they can create with, not simply consume. When a student discovers that they can build a website, develop a game, or turn an idea into something useful, they begin to see a much wider range of possibilities for their future,” he said.
The principal of the recipient school, Mrs Awofeson, praised the organising firm for its consistent investment in digital education, noting that the effort would pay off in preparing students for an evolving job market.